Micronutrient deficiencies and strategies for controlling in Vietnam.

Update: 6/13/2012 - View: 9723
Micronutrient deficiencies are of great importance in public heath in developing countries. In Vietnam, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia was seven time higher than WHO’s cut off point in 1988, and is xerophthalmia free in 1994 due to vitamin A capsule programme; night-blindness rate of mothers is however 0,58%. Nutritional anaemia is actually very frequent; a recent survey conducted in 9.550 households representative for 7 ecological zone showed that 40.2% of non-pregnant women, 52.7% of pregnant women, 15.7% of men, 45.3% and 60% of under 5 and 2 years of age were anaemia. Iodine deficiency is still the nation-wide problem, 94% of school children was  estimated to be iodine deficiency in 1993 and 27% in 1995.
 In the coming years, control of micronutrient deficiencies is of the priority activities in the National Plan of Action for Nutrition. Its goal to be achieved is to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition by the year 2000. The main measure are maintaining the supplementation programme to target population: an universal vitamin A capsules distribution twice a year for the children < 36 months, once for the mother after delivery; iron and folate tablet supplement for pregnant-women daily, weekly tablet distribution  in the children and adolescent girls is also studying. Hook worm is a contributor to the anemia in Vietnam, so control of hook worm and improving sanitary condition are also required. Supplementation of iodine by using universal salt iodination is reliable policy.
Improving micronutrient in the people diets is a basic and long term strategy to overcome micronutrient malnutrition problem. Micronutrient fortification on foods and dietary diversification strategies have been proposed to improve vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc intake during pregnancy, infancy and in the elderly. More education which emphasis on the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies for public, so that they could move to an adequate awareness of these problem and know how to prevent it themselves by getting the best from local available foods.
Other micronutrient with potential public heath significance, such as zinc, folate, calcium, thiamine … need to be assessed and implicated for future programme development in Vietnam.

                                              Nguyen Xuan Ninh, Nguyen Cong Khan, Ha Huy Khoi

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